12 July, 2008 | Leave a Comment
“Few men since Flaubert have offered such sympathy to women whose lives are hell.”
–Kurt Vonnegut on The Easter Parade
I stayed up until 5:00 this morning to finish reading this novel. This is a big deal, since I haven’t been able to read a novel since returning from my trip. I start books, then abandon them. I also haven’t been writing. It’s been a rough few weeks.
The Easter Parade affected me in a powerful way, which was a bit of a shock, actually. As I was reading it, I was pulled along, but the characters started to get on my nerves. It’s the story of two sisters, Sarah and Emily. Though it’s a short novel, it spans about 40 years, from the 1930s to the 1970s. Yates is a master realist and we mainly get various episodes of the sister’s lives, primarily Emily’s life. Sarah’s life is truly heartbreaking, though you don’t know it until you’re deep into the novel. The story is told mostly from Emily’s perspective and focuses a great deal on her heavy drinking and many love affairs. After a while, it was like — Okay, we get it. You’re a drunk and you like to sleep around! I was getting annoyed with the repetitiveness of it.
What you don’t realize as you read is the effect these cumulative details will have and how they build two compelling and haunting characters. At the end, I was taken by surprise at how the fate of the two sisters affected me. The last chapter really got to me and by the end, I felt shaken and upset in a way that I rarely do when I finish books. Funnily enough, I had a similar response to the last novel I read — The Trial by Kafka — though The Easter Parade affected me more. I think perhaps I am going through a weird period of my life. It was strange the way this novel worked its powers on me and I’m still not entirely sure how it happened, but I couldn’t sleep for a while after I finished it, even though it was already light outside and I was tired. I felt completely unsettled and not necessarily in a pleasant way. I think in the last chapter, I could see to the very heart of Emily and suddenly she made sense. Her pain and loneliness was palpable and so very real. It resonated with me.
I have been meaning to read Richard Yates for a while, though I planned to start with Revolutionary Road. [This has been made into a film starring Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio, to be released at Christmas. Why am I not excited?!] I was at the bookshop and picked up Revolutionary Road, then noticed Yates’ books were “buy one, get one half price,” so I picked up The Easter Parade as well, since my friend W had recommended it. The first line grabbed me, as I already posted about, so I started this one first.
It feels good to be reading again. Oh, and did I mention that I wrote four pages of my novel today? Thank you, Richard Yates.
Anglofille said @ 6:11 pm | literary |
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What a great way to describe Easter Parade. I think that it is a tragic story, but a story that is so true and reflects many people’s lives.
I think it is painful to read this book because we can see ourselves in these characters.
Not that it is about being a drunk and sleeping around, but about how our lives can be a disappointment and that we need to do something about it when were alive… to not take life for granted.
You MUST read Revolutionary Road now!!! And if you see the collection of Yates’ stories, buy them. As a matter of fact you inspired me to read them again!
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I’m nearing page 100 of Revolutionary Road. It’s fantastic so far!
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So glad to hear this! So glad! Next, you’ll have to read Yates’s short stories– and Cold Spring Harbor too!
